The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA), with consultation and agreement from the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), has implemented specific requirements for animals being transported from a New World Screwworm (NWS) affected state into New Jersey, effective immediately. New World screwworm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax, is a species of fly found throughout portions of North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. NWS is particularly devastating because the fly larvae burrow and feed on living tissue, often causing severe, sometimes fatal damage to animals. NWS can infest any warm-blooded animal, including livestock, companion animals, wildlife, birds, and humans. To safeguard animals and protect public health, NJDA and NJDOH have instituted new movement requirements and restrictions for domestic animals that must be met prior to movement into New Jersey. Domestic animals include all livestock, poultry, cats, dogs, and exotic pets.
Since the announcement of an NWS detection in Texas on June 3, the NJDA has been monitoring the case reports and considering potential impacts to New Jersey animal owners. While the risk to New Jersey remains low, the confirmation of NWS in the US and continued new detections in Texas prove that this will be an ongoing issue. Movement of animals from impacted areas is a potential source of NWS introduction into New Jersey. The confirmed cases, in Texas and New Mexico, have involved livestock and canine species. There have been no cases of NWS detected in New Jersey or surrounding states.
Source : nj.gov